Yes well…there’s nothing like a houseguest from hell. Especially when there’s a possibility of repeated gatherings. I’ve now lived in California for 5 years. It’s not easy. Rest assured, everyone is not like her. But here’s the good news: Californians like her can’t stand leaving their beloved guru, tea, yoga class, reflexologist often. She won’t be popping back over too soon.

You address him because “the more evolved the mind, the greater the need for play”. He’s a pass time. You don’t have to try very hard to understand the poor dear. It’s like having a very high IQ and reading the tabloids at the supermarket. If he knows women who are as intelligent as he claims and can pull off that “kitten with a whip” thing, he’s already been out thought, out manned and out gunned. He just doesn’t know it. Be kind…we’re all he’s got.

Hello Kitty OKeefe: Let’s just hope that the young girl in your class is not part of a trend. I have to ask because I find this very prevalent: If you feel as you do about Hillary, why would you probably vote for Obama? I hear this alot; as a woman of color I don’t feel the need to identify with either of them. But I am honestly curious about your statement. As for Dr Klein I guess if the laughter that he inspires has healing power for women (it probably does) then you’ll be better soon because he does provide many opportunities. Feel better soon.

Dr Klein: Well I guess if you belive it you can achieve it. So seldom does one have an opportunity for a Jesse Jackson quote. Thanks.

TS- Do you really believe female folk are hanging out with Dr Klein??

Sweetie, you’re living proof that “cultural hostility to women” was in full bloom long before the alleged “domination, destruction, and selfishness” that you talk about in your fictional world. Dr Klein you do romanticize the “dark and evil elixir” of feminine power and its dangers. To hear you tell it, by virtue of my gender I’m one hell of a badass! Seriously, give ME a break!

To Beverly and Cat; Thank you so much for your posts. I was feeling particularly low today because I spoke out about feeling pressured to do something within my circle of female colleagues that I did not believe in. I only expressed what I feeling in a rather gentle way. My view didnot fit in with the rest of the women’s opinions. Freak that I am.

I’ve been in the entertainment business off and on for years and I understand what you mean. This incident is outside of parlance of our industry. It’s very similar as calling an African American man “boy”. It has uncomfortable ties to an era gone by when the “sweetie” or the “boy” was deemed an individual of lesser societal value. He, of all people, should remember these things. I am not without fault myself since I find myself calling strangers “cookie”. But I am not “running” for anything.

Well said. I do wonder why it is that other countries with their own share of mysonginistic tendencies manage to elect women to lead the nation and we can’t seem to do so in the U.S. There is sexism in Panama, Germany, U.K. Pakistan, etc. Some of these countries are even more committed to their female stereo-types than we claim to be. These countries and a few in Africa have elected women as leaders currently or in the past. We haven’t even had a female V.P. We can’t even imagine having a woman lead the nation if the white guy dies! Why is that? I have a theory that isn’t particularly pleasant. We women are looking for “subjective perfection”. We don’t always think about supporting the candidate despite their failings. We want an idol. It’s possible that if Hillary were the nominee she would still not win because some women would have to quibble about her marital decisions. That doesn’t say much about the sisterhood.

Well said. I do wonder why it is that other countries with their own share of mysonginistic tendencies manage to elect women to lead the nation and we can’t seem to do so in the U.S. There is sexism in Panama, Germany, U.K. Pakistan, etc. Some of these countries are even more committed to their female stereo-types than we claim to be. These countries and a few in Africa have elected women as leaders currently or in the past. We haven’t even had a female V.P. We can’t even imagine having a woman lead the nation if the white guy dies! Why is that? I have a theory that isn’t particularly pleasant. We women are looking for “subjective perfection”. We don’t always think about supporting the candidate despite their failings. We want an idol. It’s possible that if Hillary were the nominee she would still not win because some women would have to quibble about her marital decisions. That doesn’t say much about the sisterhood.

Now THAT made me laugh! Thanks

“Just loving and living and being there and being present. that’s it.” It sounds like you have the best bucket list of all. Best wishes and blessings to your friend.

I say this with the kindest intentions. Your intelligence back then only added to your beauty. You comfort in your looks now provides even more substantial beauty.

For me, it’s always a hot competition between the shoes and the bra.

Bravo Betsy! Thank you for saying something that needed to be said. I was having this same conversation with some girlfriends last weekend. We all came to some interesting points: Part of the blame belongs to us women of 80’s and 90’s because we were busy with more important issues (like parity in the educational and professional spheres as well as improving all child related things). We really didn’t make it clear that we needed (yes needed) men to help with house work AND help with the magic. Then there was that famous survey that said that if were of a certain age we would sooner be attacked by terrorists than attract a committed relationship. This provided any male malcontents from the gender equality battles total license to date women substantially younger who, because their mothers were busy securing a future for them missed the opportunity to teach their daughters to hold men up to a higher standard. In essence, we inadvertantly gave men permission to be lazy. The fashion / beauty industry also had an unsavory hand in this by using impossibly young women to advertise product. Thus making men think that a model of 19 was a well groomed woman of 30 something. I do find that men who are not from the U.S. still understand the purpose of wooing and flirting. They also enjoy it. That’s we have to bring back to all men: the idea that it’s FUN. We now have more women leading countries than ever before. IN my life time, THERE WILL BE A WOMAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE. (Maybe Hillary maybe not). We’ve gone to outer space. It’s in our nature to develop things, people, concepts. Look to the courtesans of the Renaissance. They had less resources than we do. Yet they made men create masterfu works of art and discover new lands. We come from Queen Elizabeth I, Catherine de Medici, Marie Curie, Francoise Gilot, Eleanor Roosevelt, Coretta Scott King and many others. We can do this for ourselves and the girls to come.